Every day, Illinois Medicaid patients visit hospital emergency rooms with minor ailments such as sore throats, back pain and stomachaches.

Last year, Illinois spent more than $72 million on ER care that could have been delivered in clinics. Illinois figures show about half the Medicaid ER visits last year were for minor problems - not true emergencies.

Lawmakers looking for ways to reduce waste are targeting Illinois Medicaid. But attacking the emergency room problem in the wrong way could drive up costs.

Surprisingly, an ER visit for a minor health problem can cost Illinois less than a trip to a clinic. That's because Medicaid pays reduced fees for nonemergency care in emergency rooms, from $40 to $100. And Medicaid pays more than that per visit to many health clinics.